"AAAHHHHH!" Wooyoung screamed as he sat up from the bed. His mind filled with the scene of him piercing through Seonghwa's body. He gasped painfully as he clutched his chest. 

 

"Wooyoung?! What's the matter?" San's worried voice asked and Wooyoung sobbed. 

 

"What have I done?" he wailed and San reached out to hold him but Wooyoung shuffled away. "No, don't touch me. I killed your dad. I... I don't deserve to be alive." 

 

"Wooyoung, calm down," San said gently and decided to let his friend cry for a little longer before a small knock on his front door interrupted them. The door opened and someone poked his head in. 

 

"Is everything alright, San?" 

 

"Appa?" Wooyoung gasped when he heard the voice and slowly moved his hands down shakily. He squeaked when he saw Seonghwa standing there and smiling. 

 

"Morning, Wooyoung. You slept for almost 2 days straight. I was beginning to get worried about you," Seonghwa said nonchalantly and Wooyoung's jaw dropped. 

 

"You're... You're alive?" Wooyoung turned to San for confirmation and San nodded. 

 

"My dad is fine. He even recovered fully and woke up before you," San replied and Wooyoung wailed, pulling San into a tight hug. "Oh. Oh, Wooyoung. You didn't kill my dad but you did kill other vampires." 

 

"Wahhhhhhh.... I thought I killed him. I thought you were going to hate me forever. I thought I wouldn't be able to face you anymore," Wooyoung sobbed and Seonghwa chuckled softly. 

 

"Come on down. I made breakfast for the two of you." 

 

"B-breakfast?" 

 

"Oh, that's right," San said and slowly pulled Wooyoung up. He wiped his friend's tears and snot with a tissue before moving him over to his dressing table. 

 

"Hmm?" 

 

"Look," San said with a giddy smile and Wooyoung became confused. He looked at the mirror and blinked in confusion. 

 

"I see myself. What about it?" he asked. 

 

"Wooyoung, you see yourself. Isn't that awesome?" 

 

"Huh?" 

 

"I think he's a little confused now, San," Seonghwa said while walking over to join them. When Seonghwa didn't show up in the reflection, Wooyoung gasped and went closer to the mirror. He touched his face and checked his teeth for fangs. 

 

"Wait... What? I'm..." 

 

"You're human, Woo ah~" 

 

"What." Wooyoung stared at them for a moment, still wondering if he was dreaming. He slapped himself across his face and San squealed. 

 

"Why did you do that?" 

 

"Ow! That hurts." 

 

"Of course it does! You're human again." 

 

"I don't get it. I mean, it's great and all but am I just weak again?" 

 

"That's a question only you can answer for yourself, Wooyoung. No one else has ever turned back into a human before. Nor do they want to," Seonghwa said, quite amused by Wooyoung's reaction. 

 

"Holy . I'm human again," he said and touched his face again. He touched San's cheeks and gasped. "They're the same temperature!" 

 

"Uh huh." 

 

"Let's test out with food too," Seonghwa said as he ushered the two boys down the stairs where he had already set breakfast for them. They quickly sat down and thanked Seonghwa for the meal before Wooyoung shakily took his first bite. He felt his chest tremble as he took his first bite before he started to scoff down the entire plate. "Eat slowly. There's still plenty where that came from." 

 

"Holy . It's so good," Wooyoung said with a shaky voice as his eyes teared up. He could taste food again and it didn't make him uncomfortable like before. San felt happy for his friend too. "More please?" 

 

"Of course, Wooyoung. Also, I'll have San walk you home later. Your parents must be worried about you," Seonghwa said and Wooyoung twitched. Right, he had been away from home for a long while now with little contact with his parents. He did miss them but he also understood why he couldn't be with them before. He no longer felt the intense thirst for blood but he was really thirsty for water as he gulped down several cups of them after his meal. He never felt any more alive than he had now. 

 

"How does it feel to be human again?" San asked as they sat on San's bicycle that had been retrieved and fixed. They started heading back to Wooyoung's house after they had both cleaned up thoroughly as well. Wooyoung hugged San tightly and leaned on him with a huge smile. 

 

"Pretty amazing. I can feel the sun on my skin again. I feel alive again." 

 

"Well, you did rise from the undead. Still no clue how appa pulled it off but this is amazing." 

 

Seonghwa had tried to explain to them that he had used his ability to swap out every drop of blood that coursed through Wooyoung's body with human blood. The risk in that was Wooyoung's body rejecting the process and potentially killing him off or well, something else would be swapped other than blood but Seonghwa had pulled it off. He also had to revive Wooyoung by giving him a jolt much like a defibrillator to get the new blood pumping through his body again but he had passed out before he was able to do that. Jongho was supposed to be the backup but he too had failed to do that. Thankfully, the vampire lord made it in time to save Wooyoung but all this information just went over the two boys' heads as they tried to understand what was going on. 

 

"It's just like magic," Wooyoung whispered as he felt his heart beating against his chest again. He cleared his throat a little and gave San a little squeeze as he prepared himself to say what he had wanted to for a while now but held himself back. "Hey, San...? You know how um... we just came back from a totally life and death situation?" 

 

"Yeah," San replied. 

 

"So, you know, I thought about it." 

 

"Mhmm..." 

 

"If I ever had the chance to tell you properly, I think now is any time better than never." 

 

San chuckled and tilted his head. "What is it?" 

 

"I... I like you. More than friends." 

 

San was silent and Wooyoung pouted. He sat up and smacked San's shoulder as he felt the bicycle slow down to a stop. 

 

"Say something. Don't just leave me hanging."

 

"You like me? More than a friend?" 

 

"Don't just repeat what I said," Wooyoung scoffed. "I do. And I was thinking since we already plan on staying together in the future, wouldn't it be fine to um... stay as lovers instead of just friends?" 

 

San turned around to look at Wooyoung. His cheeks were bright red. "You really mean that?" 

 

"I do. I wouldn't be saying all this if I wasn't," Wooyoung groaned. San embraced him tightly and he grunted before returning the hug. "Um... is this your answer? Just a hug?" 

 

"Oh. Uh... Do you want more than a hug? I've never kissed anyone before so-" 

 

Wooyoung pulled San's collar and their lips crashed onto one another's. San gasped at first since he wasn't expecting Wooyoung to suddenly pull him in but he relaxed a little more into the kiss, feeling the butterflies in his stomach go crazy. Wooyoung let him go after a while and even his cheeks were pink. 

 

"I wasn't so bad, right?" Wooyoung chuckled awkwardly and San beamed. 

 

"I'm probably far worse," San replied and gave him a gentle kiss. Wooyoung giggled and wrapped his arms around San but their little moment was cut short when they both heard gasping behind them. They broke away from the kiss and both were stunned when they saw Yeosang, bleeding out in black and panting heavily. His big cloak protected him from the direct sunlight. He looked really injured and frustrated. 

 

"He won't... Stop me. He can't," Yeosang said in a hushed yet strained tone as he lifted his hand. "Come back to me, Wooyoung. Together... I don't need anything else." 

 

Wooyoung felt his heart ache at the sight of Yeosang despite remembering what the other had done to him. Something within him was resonating to Yeosang and he knew it had to be the soul of the old Wooyoung. He got off the bicycle even though San held his arm. He gently touched San's hand and nodded so that he would let him go as he walked to Yeosang who had fallen to his knees. 

 

"Yeosang... I know this hurts for you. But you have to let me go," Wooyoung heard himself saying as he reached out and cupped the other's cold face. "You don't have to do this for me anymore. I'm happy now. I have a life under the sun. I have a friend who will also stick with me through thick and thin. And I'm human now. A proper living breathing human." 

 

Yeosang sniffled and held his arms, making San alarmed and want to step in but held himself back. 

 

"But why can't it be me? Why does it have to be a human?" 

 

"Isn't this what you wanted for me as well? All my life in that dark room, all alone..." Wooyoung was starting to be afraid of his own self, wondering if he was possessed but he could still move his body by himself. Just that the words leaving him felt like they were uttered by someone else. 

 

"Wooyoung..."

 

"Thank you for caring for me for so long. Thank you for being by my side. But you have to let go now. Let Jung Wooyoung live and let me go." 

 

Yeosang gasped and his grip loosened. Wooyoung felt a little dizzy and San quickly moved to his side. 

 

"Wooyoung?" Yeosang whispered as he looked around as if he was finding for someone else. He looked at Wooyoung and blinked. "Where did he go?" 

 

"What are you talking about? I'm right here," Wooyoung blurted out in confusion. Yeosang stood up and his eyes flared up again. 

 

"Bring him back. Bring him back!" Yeosang hissed and Wooyoung squeaked, both him and San stumbling backwards away from the other who was approaching them. 

 

"Stop it," San said, pulling Wooyoung behind him to protect him. "Enough is enough. Your Wooyoung is gone. Let him rest!" 

 

"How... How can you betray me like this? Why can't I be the one you pick?!" Yeosang roared and even San could hear the pain in his words. "I'll kill you. I'll kill both of you!" 

 

Yeosang dove in to attack and San spun around quickly, hugging Wooyoung tightly to protect him. He expected to feel pain but instead, they both heard a loud snap. Wooyoung's eyes widened as he had witnessed Mingi's hands go around Yeosang's head and in one swift movement, snapped his neck. Yeosang dropped to the ground, body limp and unmoving.

 

"Thank god I made it in time," Mingi gasped and Yunho popped up from behind him. 

 

"Are you two alright?" 

 

"Yunho! Mingi!" San squeaked in relief. Wooyoung stared at the body and felt another wave of sadness wash over him before it quickly left. 

 

"Goodbye, Yeosang," he whispered before looking up at the rest. "Is he dead?" 

 

"Huh? Oh no. Yeosang can't die," Mingi said nonchalantly to their surprise and confusion. 

 

"W-Wouldn't he come back and attack Wooyoung again then?" San asked as he quickly pulled Wooyoung further from the body that hadn't moved. 

 

"He doesn't mean that this Yeosang is still alive," Yunho said, which only made them more confused. "Well, right. So basically the Overseer is cursed to revive into the same body even if he dies. So he basically can't die even if he is killed which he can be killed, he just can't die." 

 

"What?" 

 

"And every time he revives, he won't have the same goal as he had before or that's what we know mostly. The Overseer is one of the more mysterious characters but everyone is afraid of him because he never truly dies."

 

"That's not a relief," Wooyoung muttered and Yunho shrugged. 

 

"I don't think he will come after you anymore but to be safe, Mingi and I will bring his body back to the other realm and we will see what the vampire lord can do before he revives." 

 

"Thank you for saving and protecting us, Yunho, Mingi," San said and smiled at them. Yunho nodded and Mingi lifted Yeosang's body onto his shoulder. 

 

"Give yourself some credit too. Thanks to your blood, he was much weaker than he usually is," Mingi said and gave San a pat on his shoulder before Yunho and him started walking away. 

 

"Will we meet again, uncle Yunho?" San blurted out and Mingi laughed at Yunho. 

 

"Uncle? That's not something I've heard you call me in a long time but sure, why not. I'll come visit." 

 

"Good bye." 

 

They bade each other farewell and just as the two vampires disappeared, Wooyoung heard a familiar voice that brought tears into his eyes again. 

 

"Wooyoung? You're back." 

 

"Omma, I'm home." 

 

The sound of the train whistle resounded across the train station, indicating the arrival of a train. The two young adults stood together with one suspiciously young looking male who was still frantically talking. 

 

"Do you have your passport? Did you bring enough water and snacks? Are your phones fully charged?" 

 

"Yes, appa. We have our passports. Water, check, snacks... Check? Phone battery full to the brim. Oh and we brought power banks just in case too," San said as they had gone over this for the umpteenth time now. Seonghwa sighed and looked at him with a proud smile. 

 

"This is it, huh.... My son is finally going out into the world to achieve bigger goals and dreams in life. I could almost cry," Seonghwa said and Wooyoung laughed.

 

"You're so dramatic, appa. It's not like San and I are going across the globe. We are just heading to the city." 

 

"I know. But I'm so proud of both of you. Alright, one more hug." The three of them squished each other in a tight hug and San tried not to show his tears either. 

 

"We can come home and visit anytime, appa." 

 

"Or I can just run there in 20 minutes if you ever need help," Seonghwa said and Wooyoung couldn't help but to laugh again. 

 

"Of course. Any time we need help," San said and didn't feel like letting go even though Wooyoung and Seonghwa had already loosened their holds. 

 

"San, it'll be alright. You have Wooyoung now," Seonghwa said gently when he felt San trembling. 

 

"Sorry, appa. Thank you," San said as he removed his hands. "Hah... I'm okay. Just that this is... really the first time I'll be away from you so it's a bit much to take in." 

 

"The vampire realm was much further. It was literally like a different world altogether," Wooyoung chirped and San nudged him. 

 

"That was only for a few days and I knew appa would come for me." 

 

Seonghwa smiled and patted his head. "Go out and have fun now. Live your life however you want." 

 

"Thank you, appa. I love you." 

 

"I love you too, my son." 

 

"What about me?" Wooyoung squeaked and the two laughed.

 

"We love you too very much, Wooyoung," Seonghwa said and patted the other boy's head. Wooyoung grinned and San kissed his cheek. 

 

"And I love you too," San whispered even though Seonghwa could still hear him. The train whistle echoed throughout the station, this time it was theirs and they said their final goodbyes one last time before San and Wooyoung boarded the train. Seonghwa stood at the platform, waving to them and watching as the train left. He breathed in and out slowly. 

 

"Wonder if this is how it's like if we had our own child." 

 

Seonghwa flinched and sighed when Hongjoong appeared out of nowhere. "You didn't have to spook me like that. Why didn't you come out and say bye?" 

 

"I didn't want to ruin the moment. I know I've been living with you for the past 2 years now but that doesn't mean San accepts me fully yet. I still have ways to go," Hongjoong said and Seonghwa just found it silly. 

 

"My son already forgave you for killing his parents. In his own words, he has never met his parents before so it was difficult to keep holding a grudge to their killer since he still has a wonderful appa who raised him since young."

 

"Really? He told you that?" Hongjoong asked as they both started to walk out from the train station, chatting away in a carefree tone. "Oh. What happened to your little demons anyway?" 

 

"Who?" 

 

"The strong one and the tall one." 

 

"Oh. Back to doing their own things." 

 

"I thought they would at least come and see San off." 

 

"It's not like he is gone forever. Jongho will be going to see him next week once his own workload lightens. Yunho plans to find a place in the city where he and Mingi will stay too. So I guess my demons are doing well." 

 

Hongjoong reached over and their fingers met. Seonghwa curled his pinky over Hongjoong's. 

 

"I guess that leaves me. With you. Alone."

 

"Good. Let's go for a date." 

 

~

 

A few months after the two had settled down in their new apartment, they had also managed to find jobs at the same office so they had the same schedules too. Life was a little more easy going than they expected, especially when they have each other to support one another. Their memories from the moments Wooyoung became a vampire and the whole debacle was still clear in their heads but it gradually became more acceptable as they assimilated back into their own reality where vampires weren't the norm. They were back among living humans who didn't try to bite their necks and drink their bloods but it did become easier for them to tell vampires apart. Wooyoung had also realized that while he had become human again, there were still some things that he retained but he chose not to mention or use them. He preferred himself the way he was and is. 

 

"San, ready to go home?" Wooyoung chirped at his now boyfriend while gazing at his desktop to find him still hard at work. 

 

"Sorry. Just a bit more." 

 

"Geez. Did they throw their work at you again? You should stop letting them do that," Wooyoung said as he plopped himself onto the seat beside San, rolling it over so he could wrap his arms around him since there wasn't anyone else in the office. "They're just taking advantage of you." 

 

"Maybe but I can't just say no."

 

"Should I tell them to back off?" 

 

"No. Don't do that. You might make more enemies than you already have." 

 

Wooyoung rolled his eyes and picked up the papers in front of San. "Alright. Let's get this done so I can eat dinner too." 

 

"Thank you, Woo," San said and beamed. After another hour of working without rest, they were both finally able to have dinner which they decided to just pack and head home considering how tired they were. After a good meal and wash up, the both of them lounged on the couch together. Snuggling in San's arms was Wooyoung who felt at peace. San gently brushed his hair and sighed softly. "Say, Woo." 

 

"Hmm?" 

 

"Do you ever regret becoming human again?" 

 

"What? And lose my chance at growing old with you? No thank you," Wooyoung mumbled tiredly. 

 

"Well, what if I didn't have vampire hunter blood? What if I could turn into a vampire too?" San questioned absentmindedly. Wooyoung spun around to look him in the eyes. 

 

"I might reconsider but... I'll probably still choose to be human." 

 

"Why is that?" San asked curiously and Wooyoung shrugged. 

 

"It just feels more right for me. Being a vampire isn't that great honestly. I can only drink blood and I can't play under the sun. Sure, I'm strong but there's nothing much to do at night in our world. We can have the whole place to ourselves but we also lose what makes us part of this world," Wooyoung mumbled. "It's lonely." 

 

San blinked and wondered if that was how he felt the entire time. He patted his head to assure him that things were alright now.

 

"But well, thanks to that all happening, I finally told you how I felt so if you ask me, if I would do that all again... maybe not. I'll just tell you how I feel next time," Wooyoung said jokingly and San chuckled along. He agreed with it too, things had gotten way out of hand for them to handle back then. San gave Wooyoung a small peck but the other clearly wasn't satisfied with just that. Wooyoung rolled onto San and smothered his face with kisses. San giggled and cupped his cheeks. Wooyoung gasped and quirked a brow at him. They exchanged smirks before San scooped him up and they retreated back to their room. "Oh yeah, San."

 

"Yep."

 

"I found a new Latin word that sounds pretty cool. Maybe we should get that tattooed after we tattoo amicus ad aras." 

 

"I'm down if you are. What is it?" 

 

In aeternum. 

 

What does it mean? 

 

For eternity. I want to be with you for eternity. 

 

Yeosang, this wasn't what I meant when I said I wanted to be together. 

 

Don't you want to live forever with me? 

 

I did say I wanted to live a long life but not forever. Forever is.... A long time. 

 

It is. But I perfected the spell that will allow us to live forever. All that's left to do is for you to join me. 

 

What have you done? 

 

What? What do you mean? I did this all for you. 

 

No, Yeosang. You did this for you. 

 

How can you say that? All I wanted was for us to live together forever. 

 

Enough... I won't do it. 

 

Wooyoung. 

 

I will live and die as I am. A human. 

 

"You're finally awake, Overseer." 

 

"Who..." 

 

"You've forgotten your lord's face already?" 

 

"What do you want?" 

 

"To put you at rest. Just say the word and I'll undo the spell you placed upon yourself. There will be no more eternity." 

 

"No. I will live to see the end of this world." 

 

"Very well, Yeosang, but remember, this road you are walking is a lonely one. Wooyoung-" 

 

"There won't be him by my side. I know. He never was. He never was the first vampire. It was all... Just in my head. I... I'm the one who made him like that. I'm the one who changed him, not the other way around. I just wanted him to live longer... but what have I done to my friend?" 

 

"You tried to cure him but he refused. Not everyone can accept the life of a vampire. Your friend had lived his life in darkness the entire time and even so, you tried to tie him to it. Regardless, he still forgave you and has moved on." 

 

"I'm sorry, my friend." 

 

Soo-hyuk pitied the vampire who had lived a life too long that his memories had long been corrupted. Memories of his friend and himself tangled, twisted, forgotten. He placed a hand on Yeosang's eyes to close them, allowing him to briefly rest longer. 

 

"Rest, Yeosang. You've done enough for now." 

 

Fin